Category: Eyelash Curlers

How Many Eyelash Curlers Does One Person Need?

Karl Lagerfeld for shu uemura Eyelash Curler ($24.00) is shu’s famous eyelash curler with a vibrant red curling pad and mon shu charm attached to the handle. The charm is completely removable, and I’d recommend doing so–but shu said as much saying to “take this lovelyc harm along in your favorite bag.” If the red curling pad and the charm don’t do it for you, the original curler is $4 less. Either way, I’m a huge fan of shu uemura’s curler, and I have been for years! I’ve given it an award for being the best for the past three years.

What I like is the way the handles are shaped, so the grip is comfortable, while the curler is wide and gently curved to fit around all my lashes. It doesn’t pinch the skin, and it doesn’t crimp my lashes either. While I can’t vouch for this particular unit, I’ve owned two shu’s in my lifetime, and the only reason I bought the second was because I needed the curling pads. They’re well-made, and I’ve never felt that the spring has lots its power over time.

Eyelash curlers may be the most fun product to photograph, if only because they always look a bit like torture devices. And I’m sure to anyone who hasn’t been around one or used one often, they do look strange. No torture here, just prettily curled lashes, which make eyes appear larger and more awake.

Sleek Eyelash Curler by MAC

MAC Full Lash Curler ($20.00) is easy-to-use, doesn’t pinch, and yields a soft, natural curl that stays. I’ve been using this for the past few weeks when I’ve gone to curl my lashes, and I think it’s very comparable to shu uemura’s curler in shape, feel, and use. If you have smaller eyes, you might consider MAC’s Half Lash Curler. This particular version of the curler is all black, because it is/was part of the Carine Roitfeld collection. I think the all-black coloring makes it look rather sleek (and reminiscent of Chanel’s). It came with one additional curling pad.

When I use this, I’m able to get all my lashes between the curler, and the curl is natural and never an L-shape. I don’t feel like you have to squeeze your lashes to death to get a good curl either! The handle is large enough to accommodate a variety of hand sizes. The overall curler felt sturdy, and I’ll definitely keep this with my lash/brow basics for regular use.

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Sephora Eyelash Curler ($16.00) is a metal eyelash curler that comes with two replacement curling pads. It does a good job of curling lashes without pinching or pulling, but shu’s curler ($19) still pulls ahead for me–and at the price tag, I’m not sold on Sephora’s. The biggest advantage that this curler has is that it has two replacement pads, as opposed to the one that shu comes with.

The curling pad seems a little thick on Sephora’s curler, which actually makes it easier to get a soft curled lash and no crimping or dreaded L-shape lashes. But it doesn’t get as defined and as big of a curl because of it as well. The padding on the handles is also a bit thick, so those with larger fingers may find it a little awkward to grip, because their fingers don’t quite fit in them.

Again, it does a good job–it curls softly, easily, and it doesn’t pinch or pull. You never have to worry about getting bent lashes, either, because the pad makes it a breeze to get that soft curled look. It just doesn’t give me the same amount of curl as my beloved shu curler does.

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Product: 26/30

Value: 8/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you’ve found that other eyelash curlers have pulled or pinched, the thicker padding on Sephora’s curler might work better for you.